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Ireland/Éire and its history, culture and people
Greetings on Saint Patrick's Day
17th March 2012
Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated as a National Nay throughout Ireland and by Irish communities throughout the World. It is day that is very important to Irish identity and noted for the spectacular parades held internationally. Who is Saint Patrick (387-461AD) and why he so venerated by Irish people and those of Irish descent?
Born in Wales in the fourth century, at the age of sixteen years Patrick was taken captive by Irish pirates and worked as a slave herding animals on a mountain side in County Antrim in Ireland. After six years he escaped by boat back to his home area. Studying as a priest and having been inspired by a dream he returned to Ireland as a missionary after several years. Patrick is noted for his work among the pagan chiefs and the baptism of thousands of people in Ireland. He is attributed with many miracles and having increased the influence of Christianity throughout Ireland. The 'Confessio' and 'Letter to Coroticus' are Patrick's writings that survive.
The date of the seventeenth of March is chosen as the day of celebration is to commemorate his death on 17 March 461AD. As Patron Saint of Ireland Saint Patricks Day is seen as an important celebration of Irish independence. It is also used to promote the culture of Ireland and there can be no doubt that it is probably a more celebrated National Saints Day than any other. To all our Irish friends:
'Beannachtam na Feile Padraig'
(Happy Saint Patricks Day)
Irish culture
The culture of Ireland/Éire originates from the indigenous Celtic peoples. Along the trails, we will point out many sites of historical interest from pre-history when the Mesolithic peoples arrived around 8000 BC, into the Neolithic Age around 4500 to 4000 BC and the subsequent period of agricultural settlement, into the Bronze Age from around 2500BC and the Iron Age. We will also point to sites of interest from the period of Viking invasions and early medieval times.